Rockies edge Phillies, 5-4; tie series

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — By the time Cole Hamels rushed off to be with his pregnant wife, his streak of postseason dominance was long over.

Yorvit Torrealba hit a two-run homer, Aaron Cook pitched effectively into the sixth inning and the Colorado Rockies beat Hamels and the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 Thursday to even their NL playoff series at a game apiece.

Huston Street pitched out of trouble in the ninth to secure the win for Colorado. He retired Shane Victorino on a soft liner to second to leave the potential tying run — Game 1 winner Cliff Lee — at second base.

“It was definitely a huge game for us,” Cook said. “It’s huge to go back home with the series tied.”

Hamels, the World Series and NLCS MVP last year, looked nothing like the guy who was brilliant during Philadelphia’s championship run last October. The left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings. He didn’t stick around after being pulled for a pinch hitter, heading to the hospital to join his wife, Heidi, who was in labor with the couple’s first child.

Was Hamels distracted on the mound?

“It could’ve bothered him, yes,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He was concerned about his wife and his child. It’s an exciting time, something you look forward to. It was probably on his mind.”

The best-of-five series shifts to Denver for Game 3 on Saturday night. Jason Hammel (10-8) will start for the wild-card Rockies against a yet-to-be-announced pitcher. Manuel said he’ll use Joe Blanton or Pedro Martinez. J.A. Happ was a candidate before getting injured.

Blanton pitched one inning in relief, allowing a run. Happ got knocked out of the game when Seth Smith hit a hard liner off the lower part of his left leg. X-rays were negative.

“He was trying to stay out there, but he wasn’t able to pitch,” Manuel said. “I think he’ll be fine.”

Making his third start since a shoulder strain sidelined him for most of September, Cook allowed three runs and seven hits in five-plus innings. The right-handed sinkerballer got 12 of his 15 outs on grounders or strikeouts.

“His sinker was downhill and he was really working both sides of the plate,” Torrealba said.

After Lee turned in a masterful performance in his playoff debut Wednesday, the Phillies were counting on Hamels to give them a commanding 2-0 series lead. But Hamels hasn’t been the same pitcher since going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in five postseason starts last year. He was 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA this year, and now is 0-7 in day games.

“His stuff was good,” Manuel said. “He threw some close pitches. He was around the plate. His command could’ve been better.”

The Phillies are trying to become the first repeat champions since the New York Yankees won three World Series in a row from 1998-2000. No NL team has done it since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-76.

Rockies 5, Phillies 4

ColoradoPhiladelphia

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CGnzlz lf5130Rollins ss5010

Fowler cf2002Victorn cf5130

Helton 1b5111Utley 2b4110

Tlwtzk ss3000Howard 1b4121

GAtkns 3b2000Werth rf4111

Stewart ph-3b1000Ibanez lf4022

Torreal c3122P.Feliz 3b3010

Splrghs rf3110Happ p0000

Barmes 2b3000S.Eyre p0000

Cook p2110Myers p0000

Contrrs p0000Bastrd p0000

S.Smith ph1010Madson p0000

Belisle p0000BFrncs ph1000

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Street p0000Hamels p0000

Dobbs ph1000

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Philadelphia000003010—4

E—Barmes (1). DP—Colorado 3, Philadelphia 1. LOB—Colorado 7, Philadelphia 7. 2B—C.Gonzalez (1), Spilborghs (1), Howard (2). HR—Torrealba (1), Werth (1). SB—C.Gonzalez (1). CS—C.Gonzalez (1). S—Fowler, Torrealba, Barmes. SF—Fowler 2.

IPHRERBBSO

Colorado

Cook W,1-0573324

Contreras H,1120001

Belisle H,1100001

R.Betancourt H,1 2-311100

F.Morales H,1 1-300000

Street S,1-1110010

Philadelphia

Hamels L,0-1574405

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Happ010000

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Blanton pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. Happ pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. Cook pitched to 3 batters in the 6th. HBP—by Myers (Tulowitzki). Umpires—Home, Bob Davidson; First, Jerry Meals; Second, Ron Kulpa; Third, Angel Hernandez; Right, Gerry Davis; Left, Tim Timmons. T—3:41. A—46,528.